


Ex Officio

by thelivingbird



Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Unlikely Friendships, what's that thing thorold said about how things just come to asriel? this is that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:46:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27967784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelivingbird/pseuds/thelivingbird
Summary: Lord Asriel never technically completed his degree. He still got one. And more.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vivial](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivial/gifts).



Asriel made no attempt to disguise his yawn as the Master was speaking. A crowd of blank pale faces stared up at him. He was supposed to be where they were now only a few years back. His mother had feigned a stiff upper lip when he mumbled out the news that he wouldn’t be attending his own commencement. Agatha must have the will of angel. That or she twisted the arm of his father and made a transfer from the family’s deep pockets to Jordan College. Probably a little of both.

The master droned on. The man had extended his ready-made speech out to absorb the time that Asriel was meant to be giving his own speech at that very moment. He could hear the speech containing the highlights of Asriel’s travels, conveniently omitting the fact that several of those expeditions were made exactly when he was supposed to be locked up in some dusty classroom with the dull academic minds at the time. It wasn’t his fault that most of the college’s course listings were so outdated. His time would have been better spent with his back on the grass staring at the clouds.

The word “honorary” was sounded out carefully. His degree would be a gift. Asriel clenched his jaw at the idea of the expected favor. The light of a photogram flashed across his face. Agatha. That would be an excellent submission to her photo collection.

There was a zeppelin leaving late that evening. One that would allow Asriel to circumvent the inevitable dinner invitation at the manor that would lead to the introduction of a lovely young woman with her lovely parents who have just been desperate to meet the happens-to-be bachelor, Lord Asriel.

Those blank faces in the crowds were clapping now. Jordan always strongly encouraged against any spectacle larger than that. Those boys would be face down in the mud later this evening. If there was one thing he regretted about being denied his own ceremony, it was the night out after. Not that any evening in Trollesund couldn’t compete with the level of intoxication.

He was standing, shaking the hands of people who knew his name. Stelmaria bumped her head against his leg. His mind drifted off into another space.

“I’ll have the table set for seven.”

Asriel snapped to attention. “Pardon?”

“We’ll have guests tonight,” Agatha clucked.

“ _We_.”

“Oh yes, you’re not part of it, I know I know. Well, you won’t be the only guest.”

“I’m not attending. I have a-“

“A zeppelin to catch. Of course. I’m sure Thorold has all your things already arranged for you and if you sent word ahead it would be too late by now, but the Master told me about your meeting so I know you can’t possibly catch your zeppelin.”

Stelmaria raised her head to take in Agatha.

Asriel glanced over at the Master. “Yes, the meeting. I’m sure it will run long.”

“He promised it wouldn’t.”

“He also once said that I didn’t complete enough courses for my degree. Now look at me. A respected and honored member of the college. Degree and all. I wouldn’t take him at his word.”

“Well,” Agatha huffed. “I’m going to get the picture printed. And then I’m going to set the table for seven.” She turned away from him then before he could protest.

The Master was deep into conversation with one of the graduates, but Asriel stomped right over him throwing a hand up at the freshly former student. “Go put your degree to some use.”

“Lord Asriel,” the Master sighed.

“You’re going to put Thorold out of the job, managing my schedule like this. What on earth have you been whispering about me?”

The Master faced him head on then. “I was hoping to speak to you after the pleasantries were over with here, but fine. Lord Asriel, you’ve been invited to be a member of the council for Jordan College. We trust you will _enrich_ the council with your experience and your background.”

The smile on his face creeped up slowly. “Ah. A vanity offer. If this is the arrangement, I suppose it doesn’t matter if I attend these council meetings at all.”

“No, it does in fact matter.”

“You are aware I’m hardly ever in Oxford. Brytain, even.”

“Yes.”

“This won’t change. Try to stop the sun from setting.”

The Master rubbed his temple. “I’m sure it won’t. But you’re here now. And the council has always has a meeting after the commencement.”

“Point me to the room and I’ll get the tokay decanted. I’ll be good and drunk and ready to enrich the council.”

“Asriel, you know full well we meet at the palace.”

“We do? I didn’t know well at all. Must have been covered in one of the terms I missed out on. Thanks for overlooking that.” Asriel hit him on the chest.

The Master removed his glasses to clean them. He spoke plainly. “Asriel, you have the choice between getting drunk in the palace or getting drunk as your mother introduces you to a woman she wants you to marry. I know what you’ll choose.”

He was about to say, _I can spend the evening in the gutter._

“Before you say whatever jab you’re thinking, I’ve contacted Thorold and he’s left your things in the garden house at your mother’s. If you try to spirit into the night you have to head there first.”

“You utter bastard,” Asriel laughed. “Now I’m wise to your ways, sir. You won’t be able to twist me again.”

“I’ll find another bargaining chip.”

Stelmaria was walking ahead of him. He had been to the palace before. Back then he was still impressed by the pressed and contained items other people had gone off and collected. Now it only fanned the flames of his resentment. Who was able to see these magnificent things but a small group of people? At least the Belacqua estates didn’t horde knowledge. Everything contained there were things the public decidedly didn’t want to see.

Asriel undid his coat, but left it to hang loose around him. “Why do we meet here, exactly?”

The Master whispered back, “Jordan College prides itself in being in conversation with Brytain.”

“In conversation. You have a delicate touch. I might have said something along the lines of acting as pimp for one of the highest institutions of learning in the country. Scholastic sanctuary is more flexible than I thought.”

“Scholastic sanctuary is strong because of tradition like this.”

They were led into a side room with enormous stained-glass windows. The quickly dimming light painted the room as if a child had just had a tantrum in it. The scholars filed in with their eyes trained to the floor oblivious to the reds, blues, and yellows coloring their forms. Asriel stayed standing watching the man that was already seated at the edge of the table.

By his guess, he was hardly older than Asriel, if not younger. His position suggested more years, but everything about him gave the impression of a boy. The light shadow of a beard must have been an attempt to look whatever age he truly was. It only brought to attention the rounded youthfulness of the rest of him.

When he looked up from his paper he smiled. “Always a pleasure to see you gentlemen.”

“Mr. Coulter,” The Master shook his hand. “Good to see you looking so well.”

Coulter’s eyes found Asriel’s. His shoulders bunched up to his ears.

“Lord Asriel, meet Edward Coulter. Mr. Coulter, Lord Asriel is new to our council.”

“I didn’t know you were inducting a new member.”

“It was decided rather recently.”

Asriel made a mental note of that. He put his hand on Stelmaria’s head. Considering their earlier conversation, he assumed that the Master must have been in favor of hoisting him into the council. He wondered whose arms in this room were twisted.

Edward circled the table to extend his hand. “I’ve heard a great many things about you, Lord Asriel.” His tone was devoid of any discernable meaning. Now Asriel understood how this man had found success in politics.

“I hope that’s an insult.” Asriel turned to take the last remaining seat before he finished the sentence.

From his seat he shook the hands of the scholars on his left and right, exchanging pleasantries as if he had seen the men only yesterday. Asriel continued his conversation about tides around the Afrik, something he never traveled to experience in person. Still, he bounced off the ideas of the scholars as if he created their patterns himself.

A hand reached into Asriel’s vision to fill the glass in front of him. He took a drink without looking back.

“Now that we’re settled,” Edward cleared his throat, “The king first and foremost extends his congratulations to the young scholars, _but_ he also expresses his concern over Jordan’s restrictive access to its facilities.”

The Master frowned. “Why the concern now? It was never known to us that this was an issue weighing on his mind. In fact, I believe your predecessor repeatedly reminded us to make sure the doors of Jordan swing shut. If my memory isn’t failing me, that’s exactly how it was phrased.”

“The king is capable of changing his mind.”

A thought was exchanged between Asriel and Stelmaria that made the corner of his mouth turn upward. The most political stance the king ever takes is whether or not he naps in the mornings or the afternoons. He could hear the scholar to his left grind his teeth. The scholar then raised his knuckles to his mouth attempting to hide his sideways look at Asriel.

Edward sighed, “Not that you have to take any orders from the sovereign, Dr. Carne.”

Asriel raised his eyebrows at the address of the Master’s name. Edward tugged at the tie around his neck before shuffling the papers in front of him.

“Of course, Mr. Coulter. We will discuss the matter, naturally, but while Jordan is a place of learning it is also a place of tradition. It’s how we maintain this wonderful relationship between us.”

In his violent honesty, Asriel never thought much about the nature of scholastic sanctuary. He knew he supported it, and even with his natural distrust of institutions, he trusted the snores of Jordan would maintain it throughout the years. His imagination never gave him the image of a strange back and forth seduction with no payoff for either side.

“If I may,” Asriel leaned forward, “I’d like to support Mr. Coulter’s suggestion.”

“The king’s recommendation,” Edward corrected.

Asriel ignored him. “How do we as an institution benefit from a closed door? I’ve never been one to be against evolution.”

“Lord Asriel we need time. I’ll speak for all of us in this room to say it is unwise to make such a hasty decision. The council actually talks through issues. This is not a dictatorship.”

“It seems to me we could do with a greater sense of urgency.”

“What do you know about how we handle things around here?” It was that scholar with the grinding teeth again.

Stelmaria sat up properly for the first time in the meeting. Asriel opened his hands in mock modesty, “Assumptions. Only assumptions. And I know what they say, but mine are so often correct.”

The Master put a fist on the table. Any other instance with any other person and Asriel would cut that hand off. Here with this man, the ugly feeling of debt wrapped itself around Asriel’s mind. The resentment he felt for the man crashed in like a wave. He kept silent, but his dark eyes didn’t leave the glare of the Master’s.

The Master spoke slowly, “Mr. Coulter, I promise this recommendation will be considered, but I cannot promise that it will be implemented.”

“I understand that.” Edward flipped to his next page. “Now, as it was discussed in our last meeting-“

Asriel was ready to nudge Stelmaria forward to bite the Master’s daemon. He had no intention of his presence being a regular occurrence at these things, but now he was mentally drafting his letters of dissent against any council member who was against the revision. The scholars, now more comfortably trading old ideas, were going on about signs of the sovereign being present on Jordan’s grounds.

He stretched his arm out to the center of the table for the tokay. Tilting the bottle all the way over, there was not a drop left. Figures his punishments for the day were not yet over. For the first time, Asriel noticed that all the scholars were still draped in their robes from the ceremony. What a treasured piece of cloth that must have been for them. Images of clutched notebooks with dates circled and highlighted came to mind.

The Robes, as he would take to silently calling them from then on, had risen and begun filing out of the room. Asriel went in the other direction.

This time it was him that extended his hand to Edward. “Mr. Coulter, is it? I’m sorry I haven’t heard of you before today.”

“I wouldn’t have expected you to. Before I started this position, I was away on a long honeymoon.” The boyish man returned, shrugged shoulders and all with an extra touch a blush bridging his nose. Asriel hadn’t noticed a ring when he shook his hand, or at least considered the idea that the young man was already settled into domestic life. 

“My congratulations to you and the new Mrs. Coulter. She must be very proud of you.”

Edward smiled to the floor. “Oh, I’m proud of _her_. She’s currently a student at St. Sophia’s college. Top of her class.”

Stelmaria chuckled.

Edward grimaced, “Did I say something to upset you?”

“No, you didn’t. I see you more clearly now.”

“See what?”

“Where your passion for change comes from. Throwing open the doors of Jordan. I believe St. Sophia’s library is roughly a fourth of the size of ours. I sincerely hope all of your beliefs aren’t tied to your love for your wife. I don’t want to attend one of these thrilling meetings only to find that a domestic squabble has set Jordan College back a hundred years.”

“It’s already a hundred years outdated.” Edward threw out the comment like it was a private thought, but Asriel was glad he shared it. He didn’t trust this man any more than he would trust anyone who called the palace their place of work, but he couldn’t help but be amused by him.

Stelmaria nudged Asriel. “Pardon me, Mr. Coulter-“

“Edward.”

“Edward. Pardon me, but I have a zeppelin pilot to bribe for a later departure.”

“Alright, yes. Good evening.” Edward collected his things. “When you return you should come over to mine for dinner.”

Asriel was already walking away. “Let me guess, your brilliant wife is also a brilliant cook?” He shouted back.

“Oh no, but she’d happily drag you over the coals for some lively debate.”

“If you can catch me, I’ll be there.”

The door clicked shut behind him. He began closing up his coat anticipating the refreshing bite of the north. Being a symbolic, and he made up his mind that it was symbolic, member of the council was not a part of himself he enjoyed to spend any time on. If the Master expected him to bring the old-world sensibility of aristocracy, his sense of tradition had turned him naïve. The least Asriel could do would be a sharp awakening to the institution. And that Edward Coulter. Not so well born to simply be given his position without any brains or cunning. The man might be worth getting to know after all.


	2. Chapter 2

“Who on earth is Edward?”

Thorold piped in, “I believe you were introduced through the Jordan Council. He’s an advisor to the king, sir.”

Asriel stared at his servant. He had received several self-labeled “urgent” correspondences from the Master requesting that he show his face at the palace for a meeting. He knew well enough that he was a part of the council, but the existence of the palace representative completely slipped his mind.

“How do you remember and I don’t?”

“You told me about the Mr. Coulter that evening. You had me make a note about the standing dinner invitation he presented to you, sir.”

Asriel shifted in his stance. “To avoid?”

“No, sir. In fact, you seemed genuinely interested in meeting again.”

“Did I?” Asriel looked to Stelmaria. No glimmer in recognition was in her eyes either. “I suppose there is no harm in giving you lot a night off from dinner duties. How far is his estate?”

“I don’t know, sir. If he gave an address, I could hazard a guess.”

Asriel shoved the letter into Thorold’s hands. He was never particularly needy for company when he made his stops in Brytain, but the idea that there was someone who caught his attention enough to note about made the idea of a reacquaintance worthwhile. At the very least, the evening could give him a sense about the direction the palace was going in.

“It shouldn’t be far, sir, a quick drive.”

“I’ll grab a scarf. Meet me outside.”

“Sir?” Thorold blinked at him.

“What?”

“Did the letter say it was a casual evening?”

“I don’t think it said either way,” Asriel said. “Besides, I don’t have long and I’m already wearing a tie.”

“I could wash these clothes, sir. You’ve been wearing them since the previous evening.”

Asriel waved him off. “I’m sure my old dear friend Eddie won’t mind.”

As Asriel grabbed the scarf left dangling of the study’s leather seat, he heard Thorold shout from the door. “I’m having word sent ahead so that the Coulters know you’re arriving. You were supposed to confirm two days ago.”

“We weren’t in town two days ago, it’s hardly my fault.” If Thorold hadn’t put in the years, Asriel would have that insolence taken out of him. After all this time, his servant’s commentary sounded more like a frustrated parent he already had. Asriel grabbed the bottle of old cologne left on the bookshelf and poured it onto the end of his scarf before wrapping it around his neck. Stepping out into the cold air, he presented himself. “Fresh as can be.”

Thorold said nothing. He only opened the door for Asriel and Stelmaria as they smugly took their seats.

It was hardly over a dozen minutes before they arrived. Still, the difference in homes was startling. Where Asriel’s estate was large, looming, and overgrown, Edward’s was contained, indistinct, and neat. That isn’t to mean that it was humble by any measure. The exterior had a glossy look to it that could only be maintained by constant upkeep. What Asriel must have been impressed by with this man, he could not guess.

The door was opened for him and Asriel began removing his scarf before he even stepped inside.

“How long should I be, sir?”

“I may walk. It’s not so bad this evening.”

As the engine sounded off and away, Asriel heard a voice call to him.

“Lord Asriel! The disappearing man!” Edward lifted his hand in a wave. He was joined by a balding man with a bright red face, though Asriel supposed it wasn’t the cold that made it that way. He swayed with each step. Edward himself was rosy cheeked from the cold air. In this light he looked like an overgrown cherub.

Stelmaria chuckled low enough for only Asriel to hear.

“Hello.”

“Come on in, the fire is already roaring.” Edward clapped him on the back. Asriel flinched at the too familiar gesture.

Unimpressively, the inside matched the outside perfectly. It was immaculate. Everything shined and glinted. If a single match was lit in the corner of a dark room, it would illuminate the whole space. Luckily, the place already had the fire.

“Lord Asriel, or can I call you Asriel, this is my friend Robert Lauder. Robert, this is Asriel.”

Asriel felt the clamminess of the drunk Robert’s hand. He didn’t try to hide him wiping the sweat off with his trousers. “Pleasure.”

“The renegade,” Robert’s voice was hoarse. His eyes barely open, he looked at Asriel with a grimace on his face.

“I hope I’ve earned the title.” Asriel smiled. “Edward, thank you for inviting me into your home, and yes, Asriel is fine.”

“You’re very welcome. It’s been hard pinning you down. My last two invitations got ignored.”

“I’m usually only in the area for a short while. Don’t torture yourself by taking it personally.” Hands appeared on his back. A maid was removing Asriel’s coat. The action almost startled him into elbowing the poor woman in the face.

Getting a better look at her, she was quite pretty. A thought passed from Stelmaria. She was wondering if the kind young Edward was enjoying adventures outside of marriage. It wasn’t much for originality, but would make the personality match the profession.

“Enough of this crowding around the doorway,” huffed Robert.

Edward clapped his hands together. “Right, yes. The ladies are just this way.”

“They didn’t want to join us on the walk. Wanted to play stinking chess.”

“I didn’t realize I was supposed to bring a date.”

Edward laughed. “Oh no, this is an evening for friends. Your clothes are fitting.”

Asriel furrowed his brows. If he wasn’t suspecting the man incapable, he would have thought that was a dig.

The three men turned into the parlor. The room was crowded with trinkets and ornate carpets. The fireplace was half the size of Asriel. Just to its side was the chess table.

It was the golden monkey that he and Stelmaria noticed first. The flames illuminated him beautifully. Or, more accurately, his golden fur did the flames a favor by accentuating them. His counterpart had her back to the group only her mass of brown hair was in view. Her fist clutched her opponent’s queen piece.

She moved a single piece forward. A pawn that cleared the way for the bishop to take king. “Check.”

“Oh, alright.” The woman Asriel could see, he assumed Mrs. Lauder, raised her hands in surrender. “I’m finished. Again.”

“You can still escape it.”

“And then I’ll fall into another trap. No, a slow death is one I’d like to avoid thank you very much.” Mrs. Lauder looked up. “Oh hello, dears! Back so soon?” She jumped up to greet her husband by putting her hands on his cheeks.

“Nanette,” Edward said. “This is Lord Asriel. He’ll be joining us for dinner.”

Nanette reluctantly greeted Asriel, holding out one hand daintily while she left the other on Robert. “Good evening.”

“Good evening, Nanette.”

“Mrs. Lauder, please.”

Asriel put his hand on Stelmaria’s head to stop her from growling. The Lauders took their seats on the sofa right in front of the fire with Edward joining them in the opposite arm chair. Waiting for everyone to arrange themselves, Asriel saw the Mrs. Coulter turned in her seat at the chess board. She was watching him.

Asriel gestured, “Please, take your pick.”

Her teeth bared themselves into a grin, “How about a game?”

“Oh, Marisa,” Edward laughed, “Aren’t you done humiliating everyone this evening?”

She tilted her head to him, “One more, dear. If I miss the chance for a new opponent, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

“Asriel? Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” He slid into the seat as smoothly as he could. Looking at her more closely, he could see a sort of strangeness that had taken hold on the woman’s features. Her golden monkey perched on the seat back behind her opened his mouth ever so slightly. “The St. Sophia’s scholar. Now I remember your husband telling me about you. It’s good to put a face to the name.”

“Did he now? Well, now I’m another alumna.” She held out her hand. “You may start the game.”

The way the game began, he would have thought her a novice. He was taking her pieces left and right while his pawns were getting closer and closer to her end of the board. It wasn’t until it was too late that he saw the lines he left wide open for her last few, but formidable, pieces left to attack. She started by slaughtering his bishops then his knights. The rooks she had such little respect for, she left alive. The death of his queen was inevitable and naturally the king wasn’t far behind.

“That’s it. I’ll take after Mrs. Lauder and end my misery here.”

“Why?” Marisa whined, “You still have hope.”

“I accept my end.”

Edward began clapping, “Well done!”

Marisa didn’t even look his way. She spoke with gleeful sympathy, “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You need to get to know the player first.”

“You didn’t.”

“No.” She spun out of her seat only to place herself on the arm of her husband’s chair.

“That may have been the cruelest thing anyone has said to me. In one word. Two letters.”

Stelmaria kept her eyes on the golden monkey. Asriel, however, re-examined the board. His breath caught in his throat. It was his turn next. A clean diagonal from his queen to hers. He snapped his slack jawed head to Marisa. She was ignoring him completely. The conversation had taken an expected turn to politics.

“Eddie says it’s good for the economy.” Marisa had her arm slung around his shoulder.

“Edward, and I’m sorry for saying this,” Robert finally managed to get his eyes open, “Your job is to handle our king, not to guide our economy.”

“I can still make my voice heard.”

“It’s rather loud,” Robert rubbed his temples.

Nanette rubbed her husband’s back. “We’ll get some food in you, dear.”

“Asriel, what do you think of all this?” Edward asked.

“I’ve been too lost in misery over my humiliating defeat to listen.”

Marisa teased, “As if it would be so hard to guess his opinion.”

“Marisa, darling-“

“No, I suppose she’s right.” Asriel stood up. “Can’t stomp around in parliament and not have people get some sense for your politics.”

Robert rolled his eyes, “The Gyptian disaster.”

“It was a _wonder_ , Richard,” Edward leaned forward to Asriel, “It really was. Marisa and I had quite a debate over it, though. One of our first few encounters.” He picked up his wife’s hand to kiss the knuckles.

Asriel put his hand over his heart.

The pretty maid walked in to call them all to dinner. Robert stumbled forward following the girl into the dining room. Edward, on the other hand, hung back letting the wives go ahead. He whispered to Asriel, “I’m sorry about Robert, he’s usually less, well, antagonistic.”

“Why do I think that isn’t true?”

The blush on the bridge of his nose appeared. Asriel was starting to remember the council meeting better now. “I appreciate your patience.”

“As much as people say I might, I don’t waste my time on pointless feuds.”

The table set for five did not include anyone at either head. If Edward’s egalitarianism was a performance, it was a thorough one. Though, it was usually the wife to take control of such arrangements and from what little he knew about Marisa Coulter, this move however small, would not be thoughtless.

Edward sat in the middle of the three seats, Marisa and Nanette taking his sides leaving Robert and Asriel to sit together. It didn’t seem to bother the man. His head rolled to be supported by the backrest.

“I’m afraid I’m behind.” Asriel joked.

“Please, help yourself to the tokay.”

He did so gladly and shot the entire glass back with flair. “Trying to match up with everyone. I can stand being underdressed, but under-drunk is unbearable.”

Both Coulters giggled. “I don’t know why no one talks about your wicked sense of humor.”

Asriel made his face fall flat. “I’m being completely serious.”

It only made Edward laugh harder. Whatever Marisa’s expression was, she covered it with her own drink. As for Nanette, her attention was tied to her husband’s chest rising and falling.

The appetizers were set on the table. The hot liquid looked to be pea soup. Asriel slurped it as the Coulters and Lauders traded the latest statistics over crime in London. Once his bowl was properly licked clean and the main course of bloody lamb was set in front of him, Asriel rejoined the conversation.

“So, Edward, did the council ever pass your motion?” He picked up the lamb leg with his bare hands.

Edward grabbed for his napkin. “Uh, no, unfortunately.”

Marisa cocked her head. “What motion?”

“Your husband wanted to open up Jordan College’s facilities to some visiting guests. The libraries, that sort of thing.”

“Oh?” Her eyes widened.

“Tough luck, Edward. I really would have liked to see that through.”

“You weren’t around to and I’m not part of the council.”

Robert raised his glass, “Good. Invites nothing but trouble. You are a pal, Edward, but you do like to bite off more than you can chew.”

Asriel shook his head. “We could use more men in power like Edward. At least takes some of the weight off me to fight this backwards movement.”

“Do you really think you impact things that much?” Marisa put her elbows on the table, resting her head on the backs of her hand. “You’re hardly ever in Brytain, isn’t that the case? You think your mere existence is enough to change things?”

Asriel held her gaze. “I’m playing a longer game.”

“I hoped so.” It was a moment before she broke her sly expression and burst into laughter. “You know, I read the funniest thing about the trade routes back east the other day.”

Stelmaria crawled the slightest bit deeper under the table. A thrill ran down Asriel’s spine. He looked around the room. The golden monkey had left his perch behind Marisa. He was nowhere to be seen. Asriel took a bite from his leg of lamb. A drop of blood ran down his chin.

Asriel gathered up his things shortly after the plates were cleared from the table. He didn’t bother shaking the hands of the other guests. It was a favor to them as well as himself. Edward, on the other hand, was following him to the door.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I told Thorold I’d walk and I meant it.” He turned round to face his host. “Thank you for the dinner. I’ve been stuck on seal meat for ages, it was a welcome reprieve.”

Edward took Asriel’s hand to shake. “I hope to see you at the next council meeting. Big things are on the horizon.”

“You’ll do just fine without me.” Asriel walked into the cold.

Stelmaria trotted beside him half of the way before saying a word. “You should invite the Coulters for dinner before we leave. Repay the favor.”

“You incorrigible flirt,” Asriel shook his head at his daemon. “You’ll have me take her in front of her husband.”

“Not in front of him. You can get him blind drunk and leave him in the parlor.”

Asriel wondered what he had within him to pity the well-intentioned politician, especially considering the oxymoron of that label. Whatever it was paled in comparison to the white-hot thing burning with him. That night, he would dream visions of sacrificed pawns. 


End file.
